Printing circuit mounting structure

ABSTRACT

A mounting structure for a printed circuit board and an associated electrical edge connector. A pair of mutually opposed guides receives the circuit board and a pair of seats on said guides receives the associated electrical edge connector. Each end of the electrical edge connector is secured in the seat by a locking means consisting of an elastic projection of the guide having a shoulder for engaging the electrical edge connector. Each circuit board is of compressible plastic material having a width in excess of the nominal dimension so that when a plurality of guides are assembled side-by-side into a pack, the pack can be sidewardly compressed, resulting in the guides assuming the nominal dimension.

[73] Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A., Torino United StatesPatent n 1 Pomella et a1.

' [5 1 PRINTING CIRCUIT MOUNTING STRUCTURE [75] Inventors: PieroPomella, lvrea; Mario Alberico, Romano Canavese, both of Italy Italy[22] Filed: June 16, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 46,784

. [30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 21, 1969 Italy ..52332A/69 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson ..339/17 LMBeale et a1. ..339/I76 MP l Jan. 16, 1973 Primary Examiner-Marvin A.Champion Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Hafer Attorney-Birch, Swindler,McKie & Beckett [57] ABSTRACT A mounting structure for a printed circuitboard and an associated electrical edge connector. A pair of mutuallyopp'osed guides receives the circuit board and a pair of seats on saidguides receives the associated electrical edge connector. Each end ofthe electrical edge connector is secured in the seat by a locking meansconsisting of an elastic projection of the guide having a shoulder forengaging the electrical edge connector. Each circuit board is ofcompressible plastic material having a width in excess of the nominaldimension so that when a plurality of guides are assembled side-by-sideinto a pack, the pack can be sidewardly compressed, resulting in theguides assuming the nominal dimension.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 161973 3, 71 1, 1

sum 1 OF 2 INVENTO' mam POM L L A MA l0 ALB ICO BYM M, fi m ATTORNEYSPRINTING CIRCUIT MOUNTING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to a mounting structure for printed circuitboards, including a pair of guides of synthetic plastic material whichare disposed parallel and facing each other, and spaced so as to permitthe insertion and sliding of the opposite edges of a printed circuitboard between the guides, each of said guides being provided at one endwith a seat adapted to receive one end of an electrical edge connectorfor the board.

The known structures of this type do not allow the connector to bewithdrawn once it has been fixed at the ends in the respective seats inthe two guides and therefore render repair and replacement operationsdifficult and laborious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This difficulty is overcome by the presentinvention, which provides a mounting structure for printed circuitboards, including a pair of guides of synthetic plastic material whichare disposed parallel and facing each other, and spaced so as to permitthe insertion and slid ing of the opposite edges of a printed circuitboard there between. Each of the guides is provided at one end with aseat adapted to receive and lock in position one end of an electricaledge connector, this seat being formed in a projection of the guideadapted to be bent elastically with respect to the guide itself so as topermit the introduction and withdrawal of the connector.

The guide set forth in the invention is particularly seated for use withautomatic wiring techniques. In known systems for mounting connectors,if it is desired to employ the technique of automatic connection of thebackwiring between edge connectors by means of a wiring machine,considerable precision in the mounting of the connectors is required andthe corresponding dimensions must be checked to facilitate operationwith the machine, which positions itself point by point in steps ofpredetermined length. If the width of the guides varies, or if theconnectors are not properly positioned, the machine cannot operate. Inthe present invention, the guides are made of compressible plasticmaterial having a transverse width in excess of the nominal dimension,so that by assembling a plurality of guides into a pack, and compressingthe pack, each of the guides and its associated edge connector willassume the desired nominal dimension. This being the case, the printedcircuit boards and edge connectors are accurately positioned withrespect to one another and the automatic wiring machine can be used toconnect the edge connectors without further checking of dimensionalaccuracy.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the printedcircuit board guide in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a pair of the guides of FIG. 1 inopposed relationship and engaging an edge connector; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of opposed pairs of theguides of FIG. 1 in combination with a mounting frame, a printed circuitboard and a plurality of edge connectors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I the guide 1 for aprinted circuit board is manufactured by molding a synthetic plasticmaterial having a certain degree of bending and compression elasticity(for example Nylon Sniamid ASN 23/33). The central portion 2 of theguide has a reduced thickness and along a rib thereof there is formed agroove 3 adapted to permit insertion and sliding of the edge of aprinted circuit board. The groove is provided with a flared entrance 4at the front end for facilitating the insertion of the printed circuitboard.

The guide 1 terminates at the ends in blocks 5 and 6, having transverseopenings 7 and 8 respectively for mounting the guide 1 on parallelcylindrical rods 18, as shown in FIG. 3. Blocks 5 and 6 are constructedwith plane and parallel opposite faces a and b (for example, a toleranceof 5/100 is required in the planarity of the two faces) so as tofacilitate the assembly of a plurality of guides, as will be describedhereinafter. The width of each of the blocks 5 and 6, that is thedistance between the faces a and b, is obtained by molding with anexcess tolerance, for example 13 mm. plus 0.1 mm. minus zero mm.

The block 6 at one end of the guide 1 has a projection 9 shaped so as toform a seat 10. This seat is adapted to receive and lock one end 15 ofan electrical connector 14 (FIG. 2). The projection 9 is a thin elasticprojection of the block 6 and which can be bent with respect to block 6.The projection 9 terminates in a lug 13 shaped like a key and includingshoulder portion 16 which, by cooperating with a flange 12 of block 6,defines the seat 10 into which the end 15 of the connector 14 is fitted.The ends 15 of the edge connector 14 are provided with openings 17,while the flange 12 of each guide 1 is provided with a locating peg 11which engages the corresponding opening 17 to position connectoraccurately.

For extending each connector 14 there is needed a pair of guides 1 (FIG.2) disposed in the same plane and parallel to and facing each other andspaced so as to permit the insertion and sliding of the opposite edgesof a printed circuit board along the grooves 3. Each guide 1 is mountedin a fixed position by means of a pair of the cylindrical bars 18 (FIG.3)extending through the openings 7 and 8. Once a pair of guides 1 hasbeen mounted in the manner described, it is possible to insert aconnector 14 and then lock it in a set position for coupling to theprinted circuit board inserted between the pair of guides 1. By pressingon the keys 13 of each of the two guides l, the projections 9 can bebent away from each other to permit the insertion of the connector 14,which engages locating pegs 11 as it is inserted. The projections 9 arethereafter released and return elastically to the normal position,enclosing and locking the ends 15 of the connector in the seats 10. Thewithdrawal of the connector can be achieved in a manner which is similarand obvious when repair or replacement operations make this necessary.

The keys 13 of the guides also bear clearly visible indicia whichidentify the particular connector 14 associated with each pair of guides1.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seeri that it is possible to assemble aplurality of pairs of guides 1 so as to form a pack for mounting acorresponding plurality of printed circuit boards. In order to achievethis, adjacent guides l are mounted in a direction transverse of theboards in such manner as to cause the faces a and b of each guide 1 tomate with the faces b and a respectively, of adjacent guides. It is thenpossible to fix the guides 1 in predetermined nominal positions bycompressing the pack of guides transversely by any suitable clampingmechanism (not shown). Granting uniformity of compression of theintermediate guides, each of the guides 1 will assume the desirednominal dimension in width. It follows that, due to the effect of thesetting achieved by means of the locating pegs 11, the mounting of theconnectors 14 will also take place with an approximation to the nominaldimension which is sufficient to permit operations of automatic wiringof the connectors by means of machines which are programmed to positionthemselves point by point at the nominal dimensions laid down for theconnectors themselves.

We claim:

1. A mounting structure for mounting an electrical edge connector and acircuit board comprising at least a pair of spaced, substantiallyparallel, mutually opposed support members, each of said support membersincluding a pair of guides for receiving said circuit board and at leastone of said support members including means for releasably holding saidedge connector, said means for releasably holding comprising an integralpiece of elastic material having an opening into which an end of saidedge connector fits and further having means responsive to pressure forenlarging said opening from a normal dimension in which said elasticmaterial is relatively relaxed to an enlarged dimension in which saidelastic material is relatively flexed, said means responsive to pressurebeing adjacent said opening and having a surface upon which fingerpressure can be applied, said opening having two opposed surfacesbetween which said end of said connector can be inserted when saidopening is enlarged, at least one of said opposed surfaces having aprojection which fits into a corresponding recess in said connector,said end of said connector being insertable and removable from saidopening when pressure is applied to said means responsive to pressure,which pressure makes said opening wider than said end of said connectorand the said end of said connector being held by said means forreleasably holding when the pressure is removed, the removal of pressureallowing said elastic material to return to said relatively relaxedstate, said opposed surfaces closing on said end of said connector withsaid projection carried by one of said surfaces entering said recess insaid end of said connector.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one of each ofsaid pairs of support members includes identifying indicia.

3. A mounting structure including a plurality pairs of support membersin accordance with claim 2 assembled in side-by-side relationship toform a pack, each of said support members being of compressible materialand having a width in excess of nominal dimension, whereby upon theapplication of a sideward compressing force each of said support membersassumes said nominal dimension.

4. A mounting structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of saidsupport members comprises a center portion and first and second endportions attached to opposite ends of said center portion and being ofwidth greater than said center portion, said means for releaseableholding projecting from said second end portion.

5. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said guides and said meansfor releasably holding have in common said integral piece of elasticmaterial.

6. A mounting structure for holding an electrical edge connector injuxtaposition to its associated printed circuit board comprising:

a pair of opposed guide members for receiving said printed circuit boardtherebetween,

at least one releasable holding means for holding said edge connector,said releasable holding means being formed of a single piece of elasticmaterial fixedly attached at one end to one of said guide members withthe other end projecting outwardly from said one guide member along anaxis and being manually bendable from an unflexed condition aligned withsaid axis to a flexed condition when said other end is displacedlaterally from said axis, said releasable holding means comprising:

an opening for receiving an end of said edge connector, said openingbeing defined by a pair of aligned opposed surfaces moveable withrespect to one another between a normal closed position when saidelastic material is in said unflexed condition wherein said surfaces aresubstantially perpendicular to said axis and engage opposite sides ofsaid end of said edge connector to hold said edge connector therebetweenand an open position of greater dimension than said end of said edgeconnector when said elastic material is in said flexed condition whereinat least one of said surfaces is no longer substantially perpendicularto said axis, said open position facilitating insertion and removal ofsaid edge connector,

means responsive to manually exerted pressure attached to said other endof said releasable holding means for displacing said other end laterallyof said axis so as to move said surfaces to said open position, and

a projection on one of said surfaces, said projection extending intosaid opening to engage a corresponding recess in said edge connector.

k I i l It

1. A mounting structure for mounting an electrical edge connector and acircuit board comprising at least a pair of spaced, substantiallyparallel, mutually opposed support members, each of said support membersincluding a pair of guides for receiving said circuit board and at leastone of said support members including means for releasably holding saidedge connector, said means for releasably holding comprising an integralpiece of elastic material having an opening into which an end of saidedge connector fits and further having means responsive to pressure forenlarging said opening from a normal dimension in which said elasticmaterial is relatively relaxed to an enlarged dimension in which saidelastic material is relatively flexed, said means responsive to pressurebeing adjacent said opening and having a surface upon which fingerpressure can be applied, said opening having two opposed surfacesbetween which said end of said connector can be inserted when saidopening is enlarged, at least one of said opposed surfaces having aprojection which fits into a corresponding recess in said connector,said end of said connector being insertable and removable from saidopening when pressure is applied to said means responsive to pressure,which pressure makes said opening wider than said end of said connectorand the said end of said connector being held by said means forreleasably holding when the pressure is removed, the removal of pressureallowing said elastic material to return to said relatively relaxedstate, said opposed surfaces closing on said end of said connector withsaid projection carried by one of said surfaces entering said recess insaid end of said connector.
 2. The structure according to claim 1wherein at least one of each of said pairs of support members includesidentifying indicia.
 3. A mounting structure including a plurality pairsof support members in accordance with claim 2 assembled in side-by-siderelationship to form a pack, each of said support members being ofcompressible material and having a width in excess of nominal dimension,whereby upon the application of a sideward compressing force each ofsaid support members assumes said nominal dimension.
 4. A mountingstructure in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said supportmembers comprises a center portion and first and second end portionsattached to opposite ends of said center portion and being of widthgreater than said center portion, said means for releaseable holdingprojecting from said second end portion.
 5. The structure according toclaim 1 wherein said guides and said means for releasably holding havein common said integral piece of elastic material.
 6. A mountingstructure for holding an electrical edge connector in juxtaposition toits associated printed circuit board comprising: a pair of opposed guidemembers for receiving said printed circuit board therebetween, at leastone releasable holding means for holding said edge connector, saidreleasable holding means being formed of a single piece of elasticmaterial fixedly attached at one end to one of said guide members withthe othEr end projecting outwardly from said one guide member along anaxis and being manually bendable from an unflexed condition aligned withsaid axis to a flexed condition when said other end is displacedlaterally from said axis, said releasable holding means comprising: anopening for receiving an end of said edge connector, said opening beingdefined by a pair of aligned opposed surfaces moveable with respect toone another between a normal closed position when said elastic materialis in said unflexed condition wherein said surfaces are substantiallyperpendicular to said axis and engage opposite sides of said end of saidedge connector to hold said edge connector therebetween and an openposition of greater dimension than said end of said edge connector whensaid elastic material is in said flexed condition wherein at least oneof said surfaces is no longer substantially perpendicular to said axis,said open position facilitating insertion and removal of said edgeconnector, means responsive to manually exerted pressure attached tosaid other end of said releasable holding means for displacing saidother end laterally of said axis so as to move said surfaces to saidopen position, and a projection on one of said surfaces, said projectionextending into said opening to engage a corresponding recess in saidedge connector.